This invention relates to an optical viewfinder for a film camera, video camera or the like and, in particular, to an optical viewfinder that is capable of multiple adjustments for providing a comfortable position for the viewer relative to the camera for a camera that is supported on the shoulder of the viewer.
In the filming of high quality movies, such as for theater viewing, and the video recording of high quality productions and the like, it has become popular for the camera to be supported on the shoulder of the viewer (a so-called xe2x80x9ccameramanxe2x80x9d) so that certain scenes are shot with the intrinsic versatility offered by this hand-held approach, even though such cameras and the attached lens, film magazine, etc. may be rather heavy. For the optimum performance by and comfort of the cameraman, there should be an appropriate spatial relationship between the cameraman""s eye when it is positioned at the viewfinder and the center of gravity of the camera and attachments that are supported on the cameraman""s shoulder. That appropriate spatial relationship may differ from cameraman to cameraman depending on physical characteristics, such as head size, neck length, normal posture, etc., and personal preferences. Moreover, the center of gravity and weight of the camera may vary considerably depending on the choice of camera and the size, weight and geometry of the camera components and necessary equipment, for example, lens, film magazine, battery power supply, etc. In turn, the relative position of the camera and the cameraman""s head, when his eye is positioned on the eye cup of the viewfinder, and the weight and center of gravity of the camera, as a whole, varies substantially, which can be uncomfortable for the cameraman and even detract from the effective operation of the camera due to that discomfort and the inability to adjust the viewfinder to an optimum position for that camera and that combination of camera equipment.
Heretofore, the only solution to this problem has been to reconfigure the camera components, where possible, to try to achieve a compromise based on the physical characteristics and preferences of the average cameraman and the average camera with attached components, whereby the viewfinder eye cup position and the camera center of gravity on the cameraman""s shoulder provide an acceptable but not optimal arrangement for most cameraman and all camera configurations. However, reconfiguration of the camera components and the possible addition of dummy weights on the camera for balance substantially reduce the flexibility and versatility of the camera operation thereby defeating the purpose for which the shoulder supported (often referred to as xe2x80x9chand-heldxe2x80x9d) camera is intended. Also, there is very little space within which to locate a viewfinder on a shoulder supported camera because the camera is very close to the cameraman""s head. Moreover, ideally the weight of the viewfinder must be minimized.
Other inherent problems exist in providing a high performance camera viewfinder that will accommodate every cameraman, such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness, preference for using the right or left eye, etc., in addition to adjusting the position of the eye cup relative to the camera, all of which optimally must be done without changing the size or quality of the image viewed by the cameraman.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel viewfinder for a hand-held type camera that is normally supported on the cameraman""s shoulder by an appropriate frame and pad, which viewfinder provides a variably adjustable eye viewing position for the cameraman. Specifically, the invention alleviates problems created by variations in weight and center of gravity of the camera, where supported on the cameraman""s shoulder, and allows each cameraman to select an optimum position for the eye cup of the viewfinder based on the physical characteristics and personal preferences of that cameraman.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable viewfinder for a shoulder supported camera, which viewfinder includes lens groups that create a real image in the viewfinder that remains in focus and at the same magnification throughout telescopic longitudinal movement of the lens groups toward and away from each other during fore-and-aft adjustment of the viewfinder to optimize the eye cup position.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such an adjustable viewfinder that has an eye viewing position, which position is related to the exit pupil position and residual aberrations thereof, that is nearly constant in position with any variation being easily accommodated by a small adjustment in eye viewing position at the eye cup of the viewfinder.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an internal focusing lens group that is selectively adjustable for accommodating different eye conditions of the viewer/cameraman, such as, near and far sightedness (myopia and hyperopia, respectively), without requiring movement of the eye cup or the viewer""s eye. Another and still further object of the present invention is to provide such an adjustable viewfinder that is selectively orientable to optimally position the exit pupil of the viewfinder for either left or right eye viewing, as preferred by the cameraman, with the camera positioned on the same side of the cameraman""s head, i.e. without switching the viewfinder from one side of the camera to the other.
Still another and further object of the present invention is to provide such an adjustable viewfinder that may include other features that may be desirable and are often included in viewfinders, such as, optical deanamorphosing, optical or mechanical means for constant image orientation, electrical demisting of the last lens element, visible and/or lighted picture frame lines observable through the viewfinder, etc. without inhibiting the adjustability of the viewfinder.